Coordinators of “The Show Must Be Paused” project have called on corporations and celebrities to bombard their social media accounts with black squares to condemn police brutality and racial injustices against African Americans in what they have referred to as #BlackOutTuesday.
The campaign was sparked by the global unrest in response to 46-year-old Black, George Floyd, killed by Derek Chauvin, a White police officer.
Chauvin pressed his knee into Floyd’s neck until he died, while three other officers and bystanders watched in Minnesota on May 25.
“Blackout Tuesday is a day to disconnect from work and reconnect with our community through an urgent step of action to provoke accountability and change,” the organizers said.
Participants in the movement are expected to utilize the time they spend on the social media to read and educate themselves on the Black Lives Matter movement.
Notable music labels who joined #BlackOutTuesday included Def Jam, Columbia Records, Sony Music, Atlantic Records, Capitol Music Group, Warner Records and others.
“It’s hard to know what to say because I’ve been dealing with racism my entire life. That said, it’s rearing its ugly head right now and by God, it’s time to deal with it once and for all,” said legendary Music Producer, Quincy Jones. “As gatekeepers of the culture, it’s our responsibility to not only come together to celebrate the wins but also hold each other up during a loss.”
Businesses and celebrities like Macys, FashionNova, Boohoo, Superdrug, Davido, Tiwa Savage, Don Jazzy, Jennifer Anistan, Burna Boy, Khloe Kardashian, David Guetta, and more also joined the cause as they shared their support on social media.
Although the #BlackOutTuesday campaign hit a few hurdles earlier on Tuesday as a result of people using the hashtags dedicated to Black Lives Matter, it has collectively proven success with over 20 million accounts globally using the hashtag on Instagram.
